Yahoo Sports Beginning of the end? Alisson's latest injury worry shows exactly why Liverpool are moving on
Liverpool are set to welcome Bournemouth to Anfield on Saturday with the Reds looking to return to winning ways in the Premier League.
Arne Slot's perfect start to his first league campaign as Liverpool boss came to an end against Nottingham Forest last weekend.
Callum Hudson Odoi's second-half strike was enough to sink the Reds to a 1-0 defeat after three straight victories.
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Ahead of his side's meeting with the Cherries, Slot addressed the media on Friday morning to provide the latest on his squad in the aftermath of their 3-1 triumph away to AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Liverpool have been somewhat fortunate thus far on the injury front with only Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott being sidelined.
Jones made his return last Saturday after picking up a groin injury whilst Elliott is currently nursing a fractured foot he picked up on international duty with England U21s.
However, Liverpool have been struck with a huge blow ahead of Saturday's encounter with Slot revealing goalkeeper Alisson Becker has a muscle issue, with uncertainty surrounding whether he'll train on Friday.
Arne Slot reveals extent of Alisson injury
"Alisson is still a doubt if he can train today, so let’s wait [to see] if he can train. Then, if he can’t then he will probably not play as well, so we have to wait and see.
"He has a slight issue with one of his muscles and we wonder if this game tomorrow is coming too early or not. Apart from Harvey Elliott, [there are no other injuries]," Slot revealed.
In the aftermath of the press conference, it was reported by Ian Doyle that Alisson wasn't present in Liverpool's final session ahead of Saturday.
Alisson's fitness concerns
Though it has been conveyed as just a slight injury to the Brazilian, concerns will mount regarding the 31-year-old's ability to stay fit, particularly after missing a significant chunk of football last season.
Alisson missed 19 games last season and has been absent for around 50 games for club and country since his arrival on Merseyside in 2018.
Caoimhin Kelleher is now on standby to make his first start of the new campaign for the Reds, only two weeks on from frustratingly voicing his desire to move elsewhere in a bid for regular minutes.
“I’ve made it clear in the last few years that I want to go and be a number one, play week in week out," he said.
Caoimhin Kelleher
“The club’s made that decision to go and get another goalkeeper in which, yeah, obviously from the outside looking in looks like they’ve made a decision to go a different direction.”
Kelleher outlined that remaining at Liverpool this summer was a decision that the club made rather than himself, but Saturday's encounter with Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth is a huge opportunity for the Irishman to prove once more why he's ready to be a No.1.
Mamardashvili arrival could spell the end for Alisson
Kelleher's comments came in the light of Liverpool agreeing a deal for talented goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili for the summer of 2025.
Though the Georgian's arrival might finally pave the way for Kelleher to depart Liverpool, Mamardashvili's presence may also see Alisson's Liverpool career nearing an end if his fitness issues remain.
Giorgi Mamardashvili of Georgia after the UEFA Nations League match between Georgia and Czech Republic at the Mikheil Meskhi Stadium on September 7, 2024 in Tbilisi, Georgia. Tbilisi Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue, Zemo Vake, Vake, Vake District, Tbilisi, 1062, Georgia Georgia Copyright: xArturxStabulnieksx 688269
The Brazilian however, has already revealed he has snubbed interest from Saudi Arabia to at least play out the rest of his current Reds contract, which expires in 2026, but has an option to extend for a further one year.
It is believed Mamardashvili's start to life at Anfield will be as cover to Alisson but the Reds are quite literally in safe hands if their current No.1 begins to struggle with injuries.
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